Cleaning and Lubricating Wipes

ABSTRACT

The Invention relates to a product comprising of an absorbent wipe and lubricating oil. The lubricating oil is impregnated into the wipe resulting in an oil-saturated wipe that can be used to clean and lubricate drive chains and gears. The oil-saturated wipe allows the user to clean and lubricate simultaneously, combining the typical 2 step process into one easy and convenient step. The oil saturated wipe also reduces the typical waste normally resulting from dripping oil onto the drive chain and prevents the oil from spilling onto unwanted parts that are in close proximity to the drive chain.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates generally to lubricating oil used primarily for lubricating drive chains and gears, including wipes for the application of the lubricating oil while simultaneously cleaning drive chains and gears.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Lubricating oils, whether synthetic or organic in composition, are substances applied to drive chains and gears to reduce friction and damage caused from the continued movement of the chain in driving the gears. An unintended byproduct of lubricating oils is they typically attract dirt resulting in unwanted abrasive material becoming attached to the drive chain and gears. This dirt is abrasive and will result in additional wear and tear on the drive chain and gears. An example of this would be the drive chain and gears located on a mountain bike or road bike.

Cleaning the dirt and grease that accumulates onto a drive chain and gears is a maintenance item that needs to be regularly scheduled to reduce wear and tear on the drive chain and gears. The typical process for removing dirt and grease is to wipe the chain with a towel or a disposable wipe and then either wash the towel or dispose of the wipe respectively.

Lubricating the drive chain is another maintenance item that will reduce wear that is accomplished through the reduction of friction. Lubricating the drive chain and gears is typically accomplished through dripping or spraying the lubricating oil onto the chain. The person applying the lubricating oil will then wipe off any excess lubricating oil which also cleans the chain. Another unintended byproduct of dripping or spraying the lubricating oil on the drive chain and gears is the splashing or spilling of the lubricating oil on adjacent parts.

The unintentional splashing and spraying results in damage to parts and potentially dangerous results. An example of a dangerous result would be the unintended splashing of lubricating oil onto the rotor of a disk brake resulting in inoperative brakes. Impregnating the wipe with the lubricating oil will complete the typical 2-step process in 1-step. Using an oil lubricated wipe will clean the drive chain and gears while simultaneously applying a suitable amount of lubricating oil and eliminating the unwanted splashing and spraying of lubricating oil onto unintended parts.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is comprised of lubricating oil soaked wipe. The wipe is impregnated with lubricating oil to apply the lubricating oil to the drive chain and gears, while simultaneously cleaning the drive chain and gears. Applying the lubricating oil with the disposable wipe also reduces the chances of lubricating oil attaching to unintended parts that are adjacent to the drive chain and gears.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The preferred and alternative embodiment of the present invention is described in detail below with reference to the following drawings.

FIG. 1 is a top view of a preferred wipe;

FIG. 2 is an end view of a preferred wipe;

FIG. 3 is a perspective three dimensional view of a multi-pack wipe package;

FIG. 4 is a three dimensional view of an individually wrapped single wipe package.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED OBJECTIFICATION

The preferred objectification of the present invention includes a wipe of fibrous material impregnated with a predetermined amount of lubricating oil. The dual purpose wipes are used to clean a drive chain and gears while simultaneously applying an ideal quantity of lubricating oil. There are two preferred methods of dispensing the oil impregnated wipe. The first method is utilizing a flexible packaging container with a re-sealable lid. This flexible packaging is ideal for holding and dispensing multiple wipes. The second method is to utilize a small flexible package that will hold one, two or a few wipes for convenience and light weight portability for the consumer.

FIG. 1 shows an example of a preferred wipe 100, manufactured from synthetic or natural fibers 120. Wipe sizes can range from 2″×3″ all the way up to 12″×12″ with any combination in between. The shape of the wipe can be square or rectangular. The wipe can be formed using various natural materials such as cotton, paper, or pulp based material. The wipe can also be formed using various artificial or synthetic materials such as microfiber, which is a fine synthetic fiber that can be woven into textiles with the texture and drape of natural-fiber cloth but with enhanced durability. The durability of the wipe is important since the wipe will be used to clean the drive chain and gears and should not easily disintegrate, or break into pieces which could become lodged in the drive chain or gears. The wipes that are depicted in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 are flexible and allow the user to wrap the wipe around the drive chain or gears for cleaning and lubricating purposes.

FIG. 2 shows an end view of the wipe depicted in FIG. 1. The fibrous material of the wipe is impregnated with lubricating oil. This is similar to the cleaning wipes that are ubiquitous in the retail stores that are impregnated with a cleaning and germ killing liquid.

FIG. 3 shows a three dimensional view of a sample container depicting a multi-pack, flexible packaging container 140. This sample container is intended to hold a large number (an example would be 20-80 oil saturated wipes) of oil saturated wipes for economy and convenience. This sample of a possible flexible packaging container includes a re-sealable plastic lid 160 that can be open and closed to dispense the desired number of oil saturated wipes. The configuration of the wipes when pre-packaged into the flexible packaging upon initial assembly will allow the continuous string of wipes to be removes until the user decides that he has dispensed the desired amount of wipes 100. The user can then proceed to close the re-sealable lid 160 and store the flexible packaging container for later use. There are a number packaging containers that would be suitable for holding and dispensing the wipes including but not limited to; round canisters, square plastic containers, flexible packaging with re-sealable openings, etc.

FIG. 4 shows an individually wrapped package 200. In this packaging configuration a single oil saturated wipe 100 is sealed in a water tight and air tight hermetically sealed package that can be opened for individual use. Such a package may include one, two or a few wipes in a single package for economy and convenience.

While the preferred objectification of the invention has been described in detail and illustrated, there are many variations that can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the scope of the invention is not limited in nature by the aforementioned illustrations and descriptions. The invention, instead, should be determined entirely by reference to the claims directly below. 

1. An oil saturated wipe comprising: An artificial or natural fibrous wipe having a top surface and a bottom surface and impregnated with lubricating oil.
 2. The wipe of claim 1, wherein the wipe is contained in a container with a plurality of additional wipes.
 3. The wipe of claim 1, wherein the wipe is individually wrapped in a water tight and air tight hermetically sealed package for individual use.
 4. The wipe of claim 1, wherein one or many wipes are wrapped in a water tight and air tight hermetically sealed package for individual use. 